The Springboks of South Africa held the world champion Wallabies to a 14-all draw in a bruising Tri-Nations encounter at the Subiaco Oval in Perth, Australia.
It was a physical match, characterised by bone-crunching defence and few try-scoring opportunities, but the Springboks will be elated with their gutsy performance, which saw the first draw in the history of the Tri-Nations.
Only two tries were scored in the match, one by each side in each half, but the Wallabies will be kicking themselves after failing to exploit a one-man advantage, which they held for 20 minutes in the second half when the Springboks had two players in the sin bin on separate occasions.
First flyhalf Butch James spent 10 minutes off the field when referee Steve Walsh showed him a yellow card for a reckless tackle on Wallaby opensider George Smith, and then with 15 minutes remaining in the match Springbok skipper Bob Skinstad was sent to the bin for killing the ball near his side's line.
No damage was caused with James in the bin, but Skinstad could only watch from the sidelines as Wallaby inside centre Nathan Grey finally found a hole in the Springbok defence, after more than 200 minutes of Tri-Nations rugby this season, to pull his side level.
Matt Burke, who along with Braam van Straaten missed three kicks at goal the entire night, missed the conversion and at 11-all, with nine minutes remaining on the clock, it was still anyone's game ...
The visitors then reclaimed the lead five minutes later, after a high tackle by Wallaby loosehead Nick Stiles, but from the re-start André Venter knocked the ball on, which allowed the Wallabies to swarm into the Bok 22 and secure yet another penalty. Burke made no mistake from in front of the uprights and with three minutes on the clock the match had not yet been decided.
Skinstad managed to get back on the field before the final whistle, but with his side in an attacking position shortly before the final whistle all they could do was concede a penalty for going off their feet at a ruck after Deon Kayser was wrapped up by Phil Waugh.
The Wallabies kicked to touch, drove up-field and Stephen Larkham attempted a drop, but it just went wide. Conrad Jantjes dotted down and that was it. Game over. The first draw in the Tri-Nations (after the 34th match), and the first-ever draw between the Wallabies and Springboks (after their 47th encounter).
The Wallabies started the match with a bang. After controlling possession and territory they had three points to show for their efforts after the first 10 minutes.
But when the Springboks eventually started settling down, they lost their vice-captain and main attacking weapon Robbie Fleck, who limped off with an ankle injury.
Fleck and Wallaby No.8 Toutai Kefu were involved in a scuffle shortly before Fleck left the field and whilst it remains to be seen whether or not the scuffle caused the injury, Fleck, as was the case in Pretoria three weeks ago, seemed to be getting on the Wallabies' nerves. Fleck was replaced by Kayser, who put in a sterling defensive performance, despite not offering much on attack.
Braam van Straaten got his side on the board as Fleck left the field when Breyton Paulse was impeded as he was trying to gather a chip-ahead, and from then on the Bok pack started gaining a slight upper-hand.
The Springboks scored their only try of the match close to the half-time break when Butch James saw some space and unleashed the players on his outside. Flank André Venter was one of the players who handled the ball as it got down to fullback Conrad Jantjes. Jantjes raced along the touchline before flinging the ball to Mark Andrews for his third try against the Wallabies in 13 Tests.
Man of the match: Wallaby flanker Owen Finegan showed power on attack and defence and a never-say-die attitude through the entire match. He tested the Springbok tacklers on the fringes at rucks and mauls and flung himself from tackle to tackle with no respite. Nathan Grey also shone for the Wallabies and for the Springboks, former skippers André Vos and Joost van der Westhuizen never gave up.
Moment of the match: There was a five-minute period in the first half, just before the 30th minute, when the Wallabies attacked the Springboks' line incessantly. But the Bok defence held firm in the face of danger and when the Wallabies were awarded a scrum on the Bok line a perfect eight-man shove saw them turn the ball over. If the Boks had won the match, that would have been a very key moment.
Villain of the match: Springbok flyhalf Butch James got his first yellow card at Test level for his no-arms, no-holds barred tackling style. Whilst he may feel a trifle unlucky at getting 10 minutes in the sin bin, he can take comfort in the fact that he had received an official caution earlier in the game. Luckily for James no points were scored when he was off the field, but will he learn from it?
The teams:
Australia: 1 Rod Moore, 2 Michael Foley, 3 Nic Stiles, 4 John Eales (c), 5 Justin Harrison, 6 Owen Finegan, 7 George Smith, 8 Toutai Kefu, 9 George Gregan, 10 Steve Larkham, 11 Chris Latham, 12 Nathan Grey, 13 Dan Herbert, 14 Joe Roff, 15 Matthew Burke
Reserves: Matt Cockbain, Graeme Bond, Ben Darwin, Phil Waugh
Unused: Brendan Cannon, Elton Flatley, Chris Whitaker
South Africa: 1 Robbie Kempson, 2 Lukas Van Biljon, 3 Cobus Visagie, 4 Victor Matfield, 5 Mark Andrews, 6 Andre Venter, 7 Andre Vos, 8 Bobby Skinstad (c), 9 Joost Van Der Westhuizen, 10 Butch James, 11 Dean Hall, 12 Robbie Fleck, 13 Braam Van Straaten, 14 Breyton Paulse, 15 Conrad Jantjes
Reserves: John Smit, Deon Kayser, Ollie Le Roux, Albert Van Den Bergh
Unused: Neil De Kock, Thinus Delport, Corne Krige
Referee: Walsh s.
Points Scorers:
Australia
Tries: Grey N.P. 1
Pen K.: Burke M.C. 3
South Africa
Tries: Andrews M.G. 1
Pen K.: Van Straaten A.J.J. 3
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